Bending the Legend
by Kamen Rider Raika
Summary: AU. Instead of finding a boy in the ice, Katara and Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe find something stranger than anything their world has seen. With him, the two siblings find themselves on a journey beyond their icy home to rescue their world's hope, all the while meeting five others along the way… (On hiatus)
1. Prologue: One Thousand Years Ago

Disclaimer: _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ belongs to Nickelodean, and _Bionicle_ is property of LEGO. I own absolutely **_nothing_**.

We good? Good, let's go.

* * *

The stars were always breathtaking. They were an endless sea of jewels sparkling in a bleak void. Just as one would disappear, another would take its place. Such was the order of the cosmos, and to him, it was fascinating.

He had studied many of them, from simple suns to binary stars to nebulae and much, much more. He had seen the worlds circling around them, and the life each world possessed. To him, a giant of perhaps seemingly impossible height, they were like balls of swirling colors on top.

This world was the same. Much larger than himself, and filled with life everywhere. The machinery inside of him scanned the many sapient beings in the planet. He could only wonder what sort of cultures and peoples he would see.

However, that thought stopped short. Something stirred inside him. Something, but what was-

Before he knew it, everything started to shut down. His head, his entire body reacted against his commands. His limbs jittered in small spasms before they went limp with the rest of him. As his vision faded in and out, dark and malevolent laughter filled every corner of his mind. He barely had enough space to recognize the one responsible.

'_Brother…_'

It came too late. His body was unresponsive to his thoughts, and even his mind was fading away. All he could do was plummet into the planet below…

* * *

Atop the highest peak of the tallest mountain, Avatar Zulong's gray beard and red robes billowed in the cold wind. His unfazed eyes remained on what was high in the sky, as he had been for the past several days. The giant monster, its body too blocky to be human and too large for everyone _not_ to notice it.

Now, he saw it falling, a fiery aura surrounded the body. Its large back fell first, the head limply faced upwards. What was worse was that the body grew bigger and bigger as it fell.

"A frightful sight. Wouldn't you agree, Talon?" Zulong commented in his raspy voice.

Beside the avatar, his longtime dragon friend growled in concern. Zulong gently rubbed the azure snout. "Don't worry. It'll be alright, old friend," he assured and quickly sat atop the saddle.

Upon Zulong's command, the dragon flapped its large wings. Talon's serpent-like body slithered through the air like a grass snake and drew closer to the target. The closer the dragon came, the fiercer the wind grew. It was so strong that Talon roared and would have knocked off the rider.

Zulong kept still, surprised by the sheer size. Seeing the giant up close, and how its size could crush several mountains, Zulong realized, '_I'll need more than I thought._'

His dragon roared once again, and Zulong held into the rocking body of his dragon. "Easy, Talon," he said soothingly, "I'll take it from here."

The avatar closed his eyes and tensed his body. His many days on the mountain were filled with communion with the past avatars and the Spirits of old. They all agreed what to do should the need arise. Zulong just hoped he had what it took.

Inhaling and exhaling, the old master of the four elements took his Airbending stance. He bent his knees and then flew off his dragon with a swoosh. Eyes still closed, Zulong spun his body around, turning himself into a human corkscrew.

He went higher and higher and higher into the air until he hung aloft the wind currents. Immediately, heat touched his face. In spite of such troubles, Zulong calmed himself and opened his eyes at last to reveal the glowing white light of the Avatar State.

Using the power of past avatars, Zulong twirled his hands. The hot air responded by swirling around the colossus. Zulong kept circling his arms for what felt like hours and wisps of wind followed the motion. However, nothing seemed to change.

The heat stung Zulong's wrinkled skin as sweat poured from every portion of his body. This felt hotter than any lava river in his home region. By now, he could barely keep himself floating as Zulong swirled his arms and sent blast after blast of air, each one did nothing... or so it seemed. As Zulong's Airbending mentor, Ra'shi, once said, "_Alone a single wisp of wind can doing nothing against stone. But done again and again, it can bring down the greatest of mountains._" So, Zulong continued in his efforts.

That was until a gust of hot air pushed Zulong back, and he tumbled for a bit before setting himself back up. Even in the Avatar state, Zulong strained with every ounce of his body and will to change the very air around him, to the point that his body would break at a moment's notice. His mouth dried to a point he thought to be impossible, and his sleeves quickly caught on fire.

He closed his eyes, reaching out to his predecessors and into the depths of the Spirit world. He only sent two words: '_Help me!_'

Zulong's call had been answered. The winds and clouds slowly shifted from their original course, and power coursed through the Avatar. With his newfound strength, Zulong swirled his arms to add to the momentum, and he watched the falling giant. After thinking long enough on the mountain, Zulong knew he need not stop this monster. Merely redirect it.

And in one last swing, Zulong did that. Clouds shifted towards the giant, changing the direction of its fall. Instead of hitting land, it dove into the ocean that was too big even for its size.

The light of the Avatar State left Zulong's eyes, and his body plummeted down before Talon caught him. Resting on his dragon's back, Zulong watched the monolith-sized creature slowly sink further into the depths of an ocean too vast even for its own size.

Sighing, Zulong let the strain take its toll. Already, the darkness was ready to swallow him up. Still, seeing the yellow light fade away from the monster's eyes, Zulong could not help but feel pity. This new being had appeared, not harming anyone and whatever caused it to fall was not of its own volition. A traveler, maybe, on its own journey. Whatever it had been, it merely sank into the great depths of the ocean.

'_Perhaps… it would have been… a good friend…_' Zulong thought as his last breath joined the wind.

* * *

AN: Alright, that's the prologue. I hope you guys like this prologue and will like the next three chapters going to be coming out soon. This will be a sort of "pilot" to see how you readers will enjoy (and hopefully to give something to those waiting for the next chapter of my Bionicle G2 story to appear). If it gets enough likes and reviews, then this story will continue (after a brief hiatus, of course, to write future chapters). If not, then it will be discontinued and/or left for adoption. Whether you will like this story or not, please review this prologue and the next few chapters to let me know your thoughts (what works/what could improved/etc.).

Special thanks goes to Toa Coy 2.0, who acted as pre-reader for my story and gave plenty of feedback that helped tremendously in the writing process (and this was _while_ helping me with another fanfic, my Bionicle G2 sequel). Also, shout-out to Emperor K. Rool, the man who took the time to look over the initial notes I had for this story and gave me plenty of things to think about. If you can, I'd say please go take a look at their content.

With all that out of the way, chapter 1 will be up next Friday. See you then!

Raika out.


	2. Chapter 1: From Shattered Ice

**AN: Alright, this is chapter 1 of _Bending the Legend_. I hope you all enjoy it!**

**Replies to guest reviews:**

**Aztec 13 - Technology is something I have been thinking about, but I think if there are any technological changes it won't be for some time and probably not in huge ways as you may think (though I personally would believe that sort of thing would help explain the technology in LoK, _if_ I ever explore it).**

* * *

_One thousand years later…_

"So, what do you think it is, Katara?"

"Why are you asking _me_?"

Sokka shrugged at his sister. "Oh, I don't know. This is strange, and you're as strange as it gets. I think the connection fits pretty well."

The comment earned a stern glare from Katara, her annoyed expression framed by her dark hair loopies. "And what do you want me to do? Waterbend the thing to life?" she deadpanned.

"Uh, no thank you. Thanks to your magic, you already soaked me once and got us stranded on this ice… along with this _thing_!"

Katara frowned. Only minutes ago, her brother was mocking her for her Waterbending, calling it "magic." Of course, manipulating water with her mind always left Sokka soaking wet, and she ended up doing much more, breaking a huge iceberg into dozens of tiny pieces. Now, they were stuck on an iceberg, in the middle of South Pole, and with no way back. There was only them… and the 'thing' that Sokka mentioned.

That 'thing' was a body.

At least, that was what Katara thought. It looked like a metal copy of one, all broken up and scattered over the ice in skeletal-like fragments, not too far away from the giant canister it came out of. Whatever it was, it definitely wasn't human.

Katara trailed her eyes to the now-empty canister on the small island of ice. When she approached it to learn more, her brother thought otherwise. "What do you think you're doing!?"

"I'm going to take a look inside," Katara answered.

"Katara, no! Something might come out and grab your face!"

Rolling her eyes, Katara popped her head into the canister. Unlike the frost-covered shell, the inside was clean and smooth. Strange yellow lines spread all over, glowing faintly ad they interconnected with each other to form equally strange shapes. To top it off, it was oddly warm enough that Katara pulled down the furry hood of her blue coat.

"Woah," she uttered. "Sokka! Come over here!"

"What happened? Did something come out and grab your face?"

"What-no! Take a look at this!"

"Just what…" Sokka stopped as he popped his head in canister. "Woah…"

Katara shot a curious glance at him. "What do you think it is?"

"I dunno… It doesn't look like it's from the Fire Nation…" Sokka trailed off, pulling back his own hood and showing off his 'warrior's wolf tail.'

Katara drew herself out and pulled the hood back up before the cold air could nip at her ears. She envied Sokka enjoying the inside of something nice and warm-almost, anyway. The canister, the whole thing, was just strange. What it was, what had been inside it, and how it became frozen in the ice were among the many other questions lurking around Katara's mind.

'_I never thought I could do something like that_,' she thought, looking down at her mitted hand and remembering how her own powers shattered the ice surrounding the canister.

Suddenly, the air grew colder. The South Pole usually was between mildly cold and to below freezing, so Katara thought it was nothing. However, when she rubbed her arms for warmth, a slight rattle made her realized that it was not 'just nothing.'

Katara's eyes darted back to the broken body some feet away. The lone rib cage, head, and even the fingers shook ever so slightly. Among the limbs, a severed arm moved towards the main body-

Wait.

The arm was moving. _On its own._

Gaping, Katara barely heard her oblivious brother. "You know, it's not much, but I think we could work with this. Maybe we can use this thing to get back home."

"Uh, Sokka!" Katara called out, eying another arm and two legs crawling to the torso.

"Not now, Katara."

"Sokka!" She pulled her brother out and spun him around. "Look!"

"Just what do you-WAH!" Sokka protested then spot the recombining body. "K-Katara, that arm is moving!"

"I noticed," Katara quipped.

As if it could not become any stranger, lines of white energy leached out of the main torso and attached to the scattered limbs like umbilical cords. One such limb, a leg, was dragged near Sokka's own feet. "GAH!" he jumped away. "Just what's going on?!"

Katara gave up of thinking for an answer. "I… I don't know!"

The two stood there, bodies shaking in fear and from the sudden drop in temperature while watching the thing combine. First, the arm joined the still torso. Then, the other arm, and soon, the two legs. Limbs once bent out of shape straightened themselves out, and a hand gripped at a circular shield. The other hand on a straight-edged sword, the thing rose itself on a pair of blocky feet, and an equally blocky head swirled around with a pair of glowing eyes.

"It's looking this way!" Katara whispered.

Sokka whispered back, "Don't move. Maybe it won't notice us." His hope was just a sliver behind a layer of fear.

Not a minute later, the metal thing fixed its gaze elsewhere and walked away.

"Huh," Sokka blinked, "that actually worked."

Just as surprised, Katara looked at the creature. Its legs moved forward, creaking and squeaking loudly atop the ice. "Quick, while its busy!" Sokka said then made a run for it.

Katara grabbed his arm to stop him. "Sokka, wait!"

"Katara! We gotta go!" he begged.

"Where to? We're surrounded by water!" she argued, keeping her voice low.

"Anywhere, but here is good! Now let's go before it sees us and-"

Another loud _chink_ stopped Sokka's sentence when the thing bent down and rose up. It now held something in its free hand, a round mask as white as the ice. It turned, slanted blue eyes fixated on the arguing siblings.

"Aaaah, great…"

Just as Sokka's words came out, Katara could only watch the newly-made being put on the white mask. Its body was covered in the same aura of energy that brought it together. "Ah!" Katara screamed, she and her brother blinded from the white flash.

When the light faded, the thing towered over Katara and Sokka. Everything about its white body remained unchanged, except for the three scopes covering the right eye. They extended and retracted into the mask, like they were getting a closer look at Katara and Sokka.

Sokka shakingly held up his spear. "Stay back!" he cried out to the unmoving figure.

"Sokka, I don't think that's going to work," Katara whispered from behind her brother.

"Quiet! I'm trying to keep us alive!" he whispered back.

Then, the figure took a step forward.

"Hey, I'm warning you!" Sokka neared his spear a little too close to the white mask.

The thing stopped and stared back, the right scope retracting and the left eye narrowing at the spear wielder. A metal jaw lowered and an irritated sound left the mask.

"_Kati_," it said, the voice deep and chilled as the cold air.

Katara gave a inquisitive look, and even Sokka lowered his spear out of confusion. That was not any language either of them had heard before, and maybe no one knew about it. Katara was curious enough to walk past her bewildered brother and address the metal man. "Look-"

"Katara, what are you doing?" Sokka exclaimed.

Katara ignored him and went on. "-I'm sorry about my brother here. We don't mean any harm. We were lost when we… uh… found you, I guess…" she said. In spite of Katara's friendly expressions and hand gestures, the metal man renewed its silence.

"I don't think it understands you," said Sokka.

Clearly seeing that, Katara placed a gloved hand on herself. "I'm Katara. Ka-ta-ra."

The thing continued with that cold stare. Fortunately, it-or he-managed to wrangle a sound as cold as the last one out of the mask. "Kataara," was said in near-perfect clarity.

She smiled hearing her own name. "Yes. What's your…?"

"Kopaka."

Katara raised an eyebrow. "Ko… pah.. ka?" she repeated slowly to make sure she was pronouncing the name correctly. Thankfully, she received a nod. "See Sokka? Everything's fine."

"Yeah, sure. Nice way to break the ice, Katara," he said in his usual sarcasm and went his way to the canister. "You keep gossiping. I'm going to do something about that over there."

Katara glanced to the expressionless mask of 'Kopaka' for a comment then to her brother. The Water Tribe boy first tried grabbing the edge of the canister and lifting it. When that didn't work, he tried pushing his shoulder against it to no avail, much to Sokka's frustration. "Come on! Move!" he cried, now slamming his speartip on the ice without a care in the world.

"Sokka, careful!" Katara cried out. "You could break the ice that way"

"Hey, I'm trying to find a way off this block before we freeze to death!" Sokka snapped over his shoulder and returned back to chipping at the ice.

"But how? I don't think even Waterbending can help us out," argued Katara, who was too busy to notice her new white-clad friend had turned around and went in the other direction.

"Well, it's not like we could just walk back-"

The sound of a thousand clanging icicles whipped Sokka and Katara's gazes to Kopaka. From the iceberg's other end, white particles spread across the blue water, coalescing into one large spread of ice that stretched almost endlessly. At the tip of the newly-formed ice bridge was Kopaka's sword, glowing white with an aura that disappeared in seconds.

Kopaka curiously raised his blade in his metal hand and studied it, flipping the one from one side the other, unaware of the two spectators now watching him. And one of them was speechless, for once. "You're… you're…" a dumbfounded and gaping Sokka tried to say.

Katara finished with brightened eyes. "A Waterbender! Another Waterbender!"

Seeing no other explanation, she excitedly rushed over to Kopaka's side, ignoring her brother's whispers of "_Not another one, please not another one…_" while he held a hand over his worried face. Her smile grew when she stared up the white being. "I… I can't believe this," she breathed. "I get to meet another Waterbender in the South Pole!"

There was only that blank stare, and Katara was interrupted by Sokka cutting in between her and her newfound hope. He ignored her indignant glare and put a foot on the new ice. "Well, it's not breaking," he murmured to himself, planting both feet. "Alright Katara, let's go home."

"Wait, what about him?" Katara pointed to Kopaka, and Sokka waved him off.

"He's not wearing any clothes, and he's not freezing. I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Sokka-"

"Katara, _home_! We might as well take the magical ice bridge while it's here." Sokka waved a free arm to the ice he stood on then quietly added, "... I can't believe i just said that…"

At first, Katara listened. She slowly stepped on the bridge and followed after Sokka. She spared a long look at the white metal 'bender' standing there. He didn't seem to be in trouble, so maybe it wouldn't be so bad… Still, that Waterbending...

Her curiosity winning herself over, Katara stopped and waved for Kopaka to follow. "Hey! You coming?!" she called out to him.

Sokka objected immediately, shaking his head with every syllable. "Oh, no-no-no-no-no! This isn't a penguin, Katara. This is a…", he stumbled for the right word, "... a… whatever it is!"

"Well, he just helped us out. We can't just leave him here," Katara gestured a hand to Kopaka. "Don't you know what this means, Sokka? Someone who can Waterbend! He's following us anyway."

As she said, Kopaka was on the icy bridge. "I, you-" Sokka started only to roll his eyes in defeat. "Fiiiiiine! Let's just get going!"

"Thanks, Sokka." She waved some more to Kopaka. While he approached, Katara turned back to her brother. "I can't wait to tell everyone back home about this."

Glancing at their new friend, Sokka scoffed, "Oh, I'm sure Gran-Gran will be surprised…"

* * *

"I'm surprised, Sokka," Gran-Gran said with a stoic face, her ancient eyes blinking past her white hair loopies. "By far, this is the strangest thing you and your sister have brought back from your hunting trips..."

Besides Katara, the frowning Sokka sunk his head a little from the figurative guilty crown their grandmother put on it. After walking across the icy bridge onto the mainland, they all went across more frozen ground to their lonely little village, perhaps the only that could be seen in miles. Their welcome wasn't exactly receptive, but Katara still smiled.

"That's one way to put it, Gran-Gran," she said to her grandmother then everyone, "I'd like for you all to meet our friend, Kopa… ka…"

Her voice and smile faded when she noticed the shocked silence from her entire village. The young children, no older than five, were placed behind their mothers who tried not to gape at the white giant looming behind Katara and Sokka. Some were almost anxious enough to rush back and hide in their tents. Some even had faces as pale as snow around them.

Gran-Gran, the only one with an iota of calm, hunched in front of the group as their elder and leader. She looked at Kopaka then up at Katara, her large chin scrunched up like her forehead. "He's certainly a strange one, Katara. And you said he bended an entire bridge?"

"We wouldn't have gotten back to the mainland without it," Katara nodded. Looking to the village's shocked faces, she tried to assure them. "Look, I know he might seem a little scary, but I think you should just give him a chance. He's not so bad. He managed to help Sokka and I, and I'm sure he'll be happy to stay here…"

"Katara, he's gone," Sokka spoke up.

Katara whirled around. "_Gone_? Where did he go?!" The entire village and its tents blurred before her eyes before they saw Kopaka walking towards the snowy walls. "I got to go after him…"

"Katara, wait," she heard Gran-Gran and stopped to look at her. "We should leave him alone for now."

"Gran-Gran, let me talk to him some more. It seemed to work last time," Katara suggested.

"Maybe, but you can't worry about that now. Whatever he's doing, I don't think you could change his mind…"

Katara opened her mouth to say something, anything to convince her audience. By then, the crowd dispersed and returned to their duties. Katara's voice died in her throat, leaving her to Gran-Gran come up and say quietly, "Come, you have chores to do."

Seeing everyone-Sokka included-head off, Katara walked with Gran-Gran. She could only glance over her shoulder at Kopaka, whose back was still facing her.

* * *

The more time passed, the more anxious Katara grew. In the time of completing her chores, the sun was past its zenith and the slightly-less cold was replaced by the afternoon's bitterness. Not to mention, she could hear everyone in the village, especially the young children, speak about the tribe's newest arrival when she went around looking for him.

"He looks so strange..." Katara overheard one kid say. "What do you think he is?"

"My mommy says he's a Spirit," came from another another.

"Come on, Spirits aren't real!"

"They are so!"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

Drowning the two out, Katara heard a third kid. "Do you think he's cold? He's just standing there with no clothes on."

"I'm wondering if how he does it," spoke up a fourth.

"You mean eating? Through his mouth. That's how everyone does it."

"That's not what I'm talking about. I mean what about-?

"Bathroom!" cried out a fifth.

"See! He gets it!"

"No, I mean I gotta go!"

Katara caught sight of a little one rushing past her with his stubby little legs dancing about. Continuing past the main igloo where a group of children discussed with each other, her eyes went from one corner of the tiny village to the other. She spotted Sokka atop his makeshift 'mighty watchtower' of snow and called out to him.

"Have you seen Kopaka around? I've been looking all over for him!"

Sokka popped his head up. "I've been up here all day!" he called back. "The last time I checked, he was by the shore! Haven't seen him since!"

Katara's worried face whirled for any sign. "He's got to around here, Sokka. Are you sure you didn't see him?"

"Why? Are you worried you'll lose sight of your Waterbending friend?"

Her eyes turned to the tower, now lit with anger. "I mean it, Sokka!"

That knocked the teasing smile off Sokka's face. "Woah, woah, okay! Seriously, I haven't seen him," he said and went down his tower. "Honestly, I kinda like it. Things have been nice and quiet. I actually get to train our warriors, for once."

"You mean barking orders at the kids?" Katara smirked at Sokka's twitchy eyebrow. "Come on, we need find Kopaka."

"Why? He's left us alone. Maybe, he wants the same thing." Now, Katara's eye twitched, and Sokka spoke before she could. "I'm just saying it might not be a good idea to bother him, Katara. The last thing we need is some outsider poking his nose around here."

For the second time today, Katara glared at her brother and was willing to give him a piece of her mind. She would have if not for Gran-Gran. "Katara…" the old woman said quietly as she came up to her grandchildren, "... can I speak to you for a second?"

Katara spared one angry glance at Sokka before following her grandmother further into the tribe's dwelling. "Can you believe him, Gran-Gran?" she huffed. "I can't believe Sokka would say such a thing after everything Kopaka did for him, and-"

"Katara," Gran-Gran gently cut her off, "have you thought that Sokka might be right?"

Katara's feet stopped in the snow. "Gran-Gran… how can you say that? He helped me and Sokka out. He's done nothing but help us," she said, her voice raising with every word.

Gran-Gran stopped and turned to address her granddaughter. "I understand, Katara, but I don't want you to get your hopes up only to become disappointed."

The festering emotions began to boil. "Gran-Gran… you know what this means to me, right?"

"I do," answered the quiet question. "You want him to teach you Waterbending."

"So, why say all that?"

"Because if what you told me is right, I don't think he understands it himself," Gran-Gran shook her head. "You saw him leave earlier. He probably doesn't know what he is, let alone what he can do, and I can guess he won't stay here to find answers. And you said he is a Waterbender."

Now, Katara could not longer hold it in. "Yes, he is! He's the only other Waterbender besides me!"

Gran-Gran met Katara's defiant glare with a sad face and a soft voice. "I know… and I know he's too different from us that he easily stands out. With what he is and the things he can do, it won't be long before the Fire Nation finds him. And when they come here, what do you think will happen if they find him with us?" She placed an old hand on Katara's cheek. "With _you_?"

Katara's eyes widened. Any response she wanted to give was suppressed by the truth behind Gran-Gran's words. She was too stunned, too taken aback that she didn't even realize the old hand drew away from her cheek.

"You should go get some rest," she heard Gran-Gran say. "You've been busy all day."

Slowly, Katara turned away, and her steps were slow and heavy. Her mind was not focused on where she was heading. It was grasping the last straws of hope, and her eyes looked to find Kopaka anywhere. When he was not in the village, Katara walked past the walls to see if he was outside.

She only saw snow covered in the faint glow of the afternoon sun.

* * *

It was not long before day gave way to night. The blue, cloudy sky over the Southern Water Tribe was replaced with twinkling stars in a purple backdrop. It was a sight that Katara would watch for many hours, even as far as she could remember.

Not tonight, though. After everything that happened, after speaking with Gran-Gran, Katara's hopes had left with the sun. She only felt disappointment as she stepped outside her tribe's dwelling, past Sokka's 'battlements' and the snowy mounds. She wasn't sure how long she had been walking-at this point, she didn't care and trailed down the freezing shoreline.

When the village was a mere dot, Katara stopped. She stood on the edge of the frosty snow, her eyes set on the water sparkling with moonlight, and she breathed. The visible puff of cold air passed over her free hands as she bent her wrists back then extended her limbs forward.

'_Push and pull. Push and pull_,' Katara chanted to herself, moving her body back and forth ever so slightly to match the water.

Under her slight suggestion, the waves fell up and down the shore, mimicking her movements instead of the other way around. It was the basic of lessons Katara taught herself and mastered over the years, and she would have slowly proceeded to the next set techniques. In her current state of mind, Katara skipped the basics and went for the near-impossible.

She raised her arms up, expecting the water to rise. It did at first, a small section swelling upward. It stopped short, and Katara's frown stretched across her face. She focused more on the water, closing her eyes and tensing her arms to act as its master.

The water only budged a little, to her consternation.

"Come on…" left Katara's lips.

Still, there was nothing.

"Come on…" she whispered again, begging the water bulge to listen to her and become a mighty wave.

Instead, it froze over.

A surprised Katara let go of the frozen ball while in mid-air. It fell into the ocean, and the wave Katara wanted rose in its place. "Ah!" she cried as water fell on her.

A resounding _SPLASH_ later, Katara's head was dripping wet. "… now I know how Sokka feels," she moaned before gripping her hair braid. It took a few good twists to get the water out, and when she finished, her eyes briefly froze on whom she spotted a few feet away.

There Kopaka stood, in the shadow of a large snowy hill with his scope staring back at her.

Exhausted by today's events already, Katara spoke nonchalantly. "How long have you standing there?" She received no answer and sighed. "Right, I forgot."

Those metal legs made those strange noises again as Kopaka strode to the shore. Katara's eyes trailed down to the shoreline to avoid any eye contact with Kopaka standing beside her… not that looking would do any help now.

"Everyone says you're some kind of Spirit. My mother used to say Spirits could grant wishes, and I…" Katara swallowed, failing to hide her sadness, "... I wish I could talk to you… I wish you could help me… I'm not exactly normal around my village. I have an amazing gift, something that was passed down my tribe for generations. Before, we could practice it openly, but now… everyone like me are all gone… there is no one else and I have to hide my gift... It wasn't like that, though…"

Kopaka was ever silent. Knowing full well she opened the floodgates, Katara sighed as she sat on the snow-covered plains. She might as well tell the whole tale while she was at it.

Hugging her knees close to herself, she began in a wistful tone, "When I was little, my grandmother used to me stories about the old days. A time of peace. When the avatar kept balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads…" Her face darkened, as did her voice. "... but that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked…"

With just the girl's voice and his mechanical sounds filling the wind and snow, Kopaka listened to the would-be Waterbender's tale, which was told in little more than a whisper. "Only the avatar, master of all four elements, could stop the ruthless Firebenders… but when the world needed him most, he vanished…"

Katara paused to collect her thoughts. "It's been a hundred years since then. The Air Nomads are all gone, and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war… Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe… Some people believe that the avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads and that the cycle is broken, but I haven't lost hope."

Her icy friend remained silent, and Katara laughed at herself. Look at her-talking to a Spirit who could barely understand a word. "I guess you think I'm crazy. That's what everyone in the village says. Even Gran-gran. They might be right, but…" she continued, looking at the distant glaciers. "… but I still hope. I still believe that somehow the avatar will return to save the world… and I hope I can Waterbend without fear…"

After she finished, Katara thought Kopaka would say something, anything. She thought he would scoff, at least give that cold glare she had grown used by now. However, Kopaka did not. He silently stared into the distance, and the wind felt less cooler than earlier.

Then, a cold breeze struck Katara's face. The sudden drop in temperature turned her to Kopaka, still staring but now tightly gripping his sword and keeping his shield at ready. Katara opened her mouth to ask what was wrong…

"Quiet!" Kopaka's low voice bounced off the icy wasteland around them, the word clear for anyone to hear.

Katara watched Kopaka carefully. His expression was more unreadable than before. The three scopes on his mask extended and rotated, as if each would allow him to see farther than anyone alive. Katara could only wonder what Kopaka had found.

She didn't have to wonder long as a giant beam of white light shot up in the distance.


	3. Chapter 2: Chains of Fire

**AN: Alright, this is chapter 1 of _Bending the Legend_. I hope you all enjoy it!**

**Replies to guest reviews:**

**Guest - Thank you for liking it. Hopefully, with enough reviews, this story will continue (I'll see if I can put up a poll to see if anyone wants that to happen).  
**

**Aztec 13 - Thank you, and I am glad you're interested in what possibilities this story may give. However, I haven't thought _that_ far regarding Toa powers. Again, it depends on how well these first few chapters are received. Still, I hope you like what I post.  
**

* * *

Sokka saw the beam of light for the briefest second. In that second, he shot up from his perfect napping spot-his watchtower-in time to see the light shine against the night sky. When it disappeared, Sokka's face remained stuck in its shocked expression, and the words leaving his gaping mouth almost went unnoticed.

"What… the…?"

"Sokka!" Katara's cry drew Sokka to his sister running towards the village. "Did you see that light?!"

"I saw it clearly!" Sokka called back in equal surprise. "Just what the heck was that?!"

"I don't know, but there might be something."

'Something' was right, and wanting to know more, Sokka climbed down the not-so-tall tower. He met her outside the walls of their village, as expected, as well as the unexpected white Spirit/not-Spirit slowly following behind her.

Spotting Kopaka, Sokka made his suspicion well-known. "Oh great, you brought _him_..." His eyes shifted back to Katara. "It's bad enough that we've brought him back, Katara! Now, we got to worry about some magic light and-"

"Would you shut up for one second, Sokka?!" A taken-back Sokka fell silent, allowing Katara to gesture at Kopaka. "Listen, he saw something. I don't know how, but he saw it before that light showed up."

A skeptical eyebrow rose. "I somehow doubt that."

"I saw," said a deep and chilled sound that wasn't Katara.

Sokka scoffed. "Yeah right, and I'm supposed to believe you can see out that far and-_wait_..." he stopped to turn and point at Kopaka, his voice inflecting highly with confusion, "... you can understand me?"

The white mask nodded, and the left eye peered through it. "Your words, strange. I listen," Kopaka answered in broken sentences.

"Sokka, just please listen…" Katara pleaded to her brother from the side.

Given no other choice in the matter, Sokka sighed in defeat and thought, '_Alright, let's hear what the giant white metal man has to say about a giant beam of white light…_'

Both he and Katara looked to Kopaka. The metal jaw moved, and the right words struggled to come out the inside of what could have been a mouth. "Before light… saw boat. Far away."

Already, Sokka's sarcasm and skepticism were wiped away. "You saw a ship?"

Katara herself had the same reaction. "What kind of ship? What did it look like?" she asked in rapid succession.

"Small and dark. Had flame," Kopaka explained.

The five simple words stirred memories for Sokka, old and terrible memories of black soot falling from the sky. "Fire Nation," he recognized, his face growing serious as his sister became worried.

"But it doesn't make sense. What would the Fire Nation be doing out here?" Katara poised the question.

Sokka whirled back to his tower and spoke without looking back. "It doesn't matter. Whatever they're looking for, I'm guessing they've found it," he said, climbing back up the snow to grab his spear and a knapsack. Once he had everything, he went down the shore. "I'm going to scout and see what's going on."

"I'm coming too," Sokka heard Katara, and_ that _stopped him in his tracks.

He whirled to his sister, facing her surprised look with a stern expression. "Not this time, Katara! Someone needs to stay here with the Tribe to keep it safe."

"But what about you? What if _you_ need saving?"

"That won't happen. Besides, this is too dangerous for girls, and your magic will only get you captured! You'll only get in the way!"

Not wanting to waste anymore time, Sokka left Katara. He went down the opposite end of the shore, where a new canoe awaited him. "Sokka!" Katara called out, and her brother tried to ignore it. "Sokka, you might be up against _Firebenders_! You'll need a Waterbender to fight them!"

"I can bring your friend, then."

Speaking of Kopaka, he walked past the pair and stood in front of them, blocking their passage to the canoe. Katara looked up in surprise. "What are you-!?"

Kopaka cut her off. "Stay."

"See, he understands!" Sokka said to Katara almost triumphantly.

"_Both_ stay. Will get in way."

That triumph went away quickly. His own words turned against him, Sokka looked back to Kopaka and opened his mouth to voice his objection-

-and it closed shut to the familiar chime of icicles. Once the holes in the shield were covered in ice, Kopaka tossed the wholesome object onto the water. "No follow," he ordered the siblings before he bent his knees and leaped from the shoreline. After Kopaka safety landed on his makeshift raft, he planted his sword into the water and shot off in a burst of ice.

Sokka was left glaring at the snowy white fiend who surfed away with _his_ moment of glory. Once he was sure Kopaka was far enough to not hear him, he turned back to his canoe. "Katara, come on!"

His sister couldn't believe her ears. "Sokka?"

"There's no way I'm going to let him beat me!" he said with wounded pride as he boarded the boat. "Help me out! If we work together, I think we can make it."

Katara didn't join just yet. "Oh, and I thought you said it was too dangerous for girls?" she teased with a sly smile on her lips.

"Just get in the canoe and paddle!" Sokka cried, his voice cracking in his impatience.

Still smiling, Katara grabbed a second paddle. Together, she and her brother departed the shore, following the trail of icy patches that Kopaka left behind on his way.

* * *

"_This_ is it?"

That was all Zuko, son of Fire Lord Ozai and banished prince of the Fire Nation, could say. He was so underwhelmed that he didn't notice the air growing colder or the iceberg he stood on shifting slightly. His eyes were unsure of the unconscious orange-clad boy who had been melted out of that giant orb of ice. "Your orders, Prince Zuko?" asked one of Zuko's crew by the melted half-orb.

Zuko regained his senses, but his frown remained. "Bring him aboard," he ordered his men.

Still standing there, Zuko's chubby uncle joined his side. "Are you alright, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked quietly so no one else could hear.

"I'm fine, uncle," Zuko stubbornly replied and began walking back to his ship parked on the iceberg. His left eye, burned and scarred, saw the boy now in the arms of his men. He had spent three years preparing for this meeting… but not like this.

A loud bellow whirled Zuko, his uncle, and everyone else back to the ice. A giant furry shape popped from inside the melted ice. As its shadow loomed over, the boy stirred. "... Appa?"

Zuko frowned. He would not lose his prize! "Take him back to the ship!" he ordered the figure holding the boy, tall and covered in a cloak.

The figure nodded his hooded head and rushed off with the boy in his arms. A massive head with two horns rose out of the ice, and a giant mouth opened to bellow again. "Hrgh!" Zuko winced from the rippling sound. "Shoot that beast!"

None of his soldiers obey could, not when they covered their ears from the great cacophony. Even on his knees alongside his uncle, Zuko heard the boy, distant and fading, "Appa!"

"Men, fire-!" an irritated Zuko shouted.

The creature stamped down one of _six_ legs-not four-on the ice. The prince's words were drowned by the splintering, the ice cracking and popping under his and everyone's feet.

"Prince Zuko!" Iroh shouted. As he fell on the ice, he reached for his nephew.

He was too late. Those closest to the cracks, Zuko included, cried when the iceberg they stood on shifted…

… broke apart! Zuko found himself knee-deep in the freezing waters. He thought he could have fallen further if a red hand hadn't grabbed him. Though rescued, Zuko glared at the hooded figure whom he ordered not more than a few minutes ago. "I thought I ordered-!"

"He's on the ship!" the figure voice cut Zuko off gruffly, with a pair of yellow eyes glowing impatiently.

With one red hand, the cloaked figure heaved the prince up. His feet onto a stable plank of ice, Zuko glanced up his rescuer then down at the flame-shaped sword. "Can you use that?" Zuko inquired.

"I've practiced," the cloaked figure replied, gripping the sword in his other red hand.

Both prince and stranger looked to the creature. It glared at the two, its eyes as sharp as the pair of horns on its massive head. Again, the raised its foot-

"No, you don't!" said the cloaked figure with a swing of his sword and unleashed a slice of fire.

The beast barely dodged the fiery wave. Seeing it back slightly, Zuko gripped his fist and shouted, "Fire at it!"

Upon his command, what few standing soldiers shot bolts of fire. Six of them joined Zuko's seventh, each of them aiming at different points of the beast's body. Another roar echoed, this one in pain, as the flames singed the hulking creature. Seeing multiple strings of smoke rise from the monster's white fur, Zuko fired off another firebolt with the hopes of putting it down as quickly as possible.

The growling beast pushed its six legs off the ice. It jumped over the firebolt and ascended into the sky. The gust of air and snow left in the creature's wake took everyone by surprise as they were knocked off their feet, including the strange red figure. While the snow immediately melted off his red and black armor, Zuko recovered to stare in disbelief at what he was seeing.

The beast, the same one who dodged his attack, was _flying_!

Zuko, with a scowl, pointed at the rising white blob. "Men, shoot it down!" he called out.

Several bolts of fire went up into the air and all of them missed. At the same time, the beast didn't push forward. It flew back in retreat, and while it did so, Iroh's voice rose of the heated blasts to put them to an end. "No! Let it go, Prince Zuko!" he advised.

Zuko whirled to Iroh, now by his other side. "But uncle, we have to stop it! It may return to come after us!"

"Zuko, we can't stay here any longer. We must leave this cold while we still can." Iroh kept a calm tone but the way he spoke stressed the importance of his words. "The creature can wait another time. You have what you want, now."

As much as Zuko wanted to argue, he didn't. His uncle was right. He had what he wanted, at long last. That was all that mattered.

"Men, return to the ship!"

The order was heard. On their way back to the ship, the men of fire regathered their numbers. The Firebenders provided their nonbending comrades and themselves with small flames to warm their bodies after being sunk in frozen waters or covered in slushy snow. Among them, the red figure by Zuko's side sat up and groaned.

Iroh had taken the effort to help the red figure up on his feet. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," the warrior grunted and quickly pulled up his hood to hide his bizarre features from the crew's stares. He then shivered under his cloak. "This place is _freezing_. I can't wait to get out of here!"

The sentiment was shared by Zuko. "We'll be gone soon enough," he told both his uncle and his subordinate as he turned away from them.

If either Iroh or the swordwielder had said anything else, Zuko didn't care. He hadn't paid attention, not when he knew his goal had been accomplished after all those years of searching. Now, he only had to return home and…

The stranger's voice cut through. "There's something coming this way."

Zuko stopped and whirled. He hadn't said anything, but Uncle Iroh had, asking, "Are you sure?"

Under the warrior's hood, the eyes peered at the distant waters. Without any telescope, it was hard to tell, but he was able to, saying to Iroh and his nephew, "It's… some kind of boat. A... kanu?"

* * *

The canoe rocked from the sudden shaken waters. "Woah, what was that?!" Katara called in the rocking boat.

Sokka, in the front, quietly kept his eyes forward. Kopaka had been out of sight, and his road of patchy ice became hard to distinguish from the eerily familiar encirclement of ice the two Water Tribe children approached. There had been a white form rising and lowering onto the icebergs like a sun on the horizon. Sokka pointed at the direction it came from. "There! Whatever is going on, it's happening over there!"

Paddling as fast as he could and ignoring Katara's cry, Sokka found himself getting closer and closer. With a few small blocks of ice passing by and large glaciers coming up, Sokka sadly recognized the layout of the land. "We're back here again," Katara said for him.

"There's probably something else around here the Fire Nation found…" Sokka murmured to himself the moment the canoe stopped at an iceberg. "We just find your friend, look at the Fire Nation ship, and get out of here."

Katara beat him to departing the boat. "Let's go!" she said and stepped on the ice, to Sokka's chagrin.

"Katara-!" he called, but his sister already left him to tie the canoe and grumble. "Freakish sister… always taking off…"

When done with his knots, Sokka rushed after Katara, grasping the paddle in both hands. She was already creeping alongside the frozen wall of the iceberg they stood on. She peaked over the edge, only a little to not reveal herself without looking. "Can you see anything?" asked Sokka, who crept on the cold wall and joined Katara.

"Nothing," she shook her head. "Maybe I can I use my Waterbending to-"

Sokka cut Katara off with a pointed finger. "Hey, we have to be _stealthy_. That means no magic water!"

Katara tried not to roll her eyes. "Fine, fine…" she huffed and went back to watching. A brief second later, her eyes widened. "Hey, I think I see something!"

Curious, Sokka leaned forward. Like Katara, Sokka found the dark metal backside sticking out. Atop it was a steam engine and chimney alive with smoke, and next to it was a red flag holding black, three-pronged flame. The symbol of the Fire Nation.

Sokka's eyes narrowed. Katara's special friend had been right, after all, but what were the Fire Nation doing here? "I'm going to take a closer look," he said and began to walk past his surprised sister before she could protest.

Sokka stepped out from the hiding spot, only just a little. Without a telescope,he had to rely on his eyes. With them, he clearly saw the Fire Nation ship. It was a small vessel with a raised spike bow resting on another iceberg. This one was odd, shaped into a dome that had been melted away.

"Alright, just move," Sokka breathed to himself while walking slowly to be stealthy.

"Sokka, come back!" Katara whispered to him from her hiding spot.

With stubborn pride, Sokka whirled to Katara. "I'll be fine! Just stay right there!"

"Sokka, no-!"

Sokka ignored his sister. He made a silent crawl across across the small icy stretch, hoping to reach the other formation to hide himself behind. While doing so, he spotted more people around the melted dome, several men donning the dark and red armor of the Fire Nation.

Glancing forward, Sokka stopped into a figure in similar armor. "Oof!" he let out and fell on his behind.

A shadow loomed overhead, and Sokka froze at the spear-wielding Fire Nation soldier. "What are you doing here?" the soldier demanded, staring down at him.

"I-uh-I-um…" Sokka sputtered to come up with a good lie, "I was, uh, just hunting, and I had to the bathroom!" He held his legs together to go on with the act. "Speaking of which, do you know a good spot? I really got to go!"

The soldier frowned under his helmet. "You're coming with me," he said and reached to grab the Water Tribe boy.

Sokka wouldn't have it. He threw his hand into the water and splashed a handful at the soldier's face. The soldier distracted, the paddle thwacked against his armor and sent him into the water. Sokka ran on the ledge and laughed over his shoulder. "Ha! Just try to catch me!"

For all his bluster, Sokka was scared straight. The soldier's comrades on the other iceberg clearly saw Sokka. Shouts echoed between each soldiers, saying to capture him. Knowing that, Sokka ran as fast as he could. He hoped to get far enough from any of the soldiers and circle back to get to his canoe.

Within a few steps, Sokka slipped and clumsily fell on the ice. "Gah!" he grunted, his chin hitting on the ice and causing it to crack.

He tried to get a firm footing. He slid again and fell, his paddle slipping from his grasp into the water. When Sokka tried to get back up, more soldiers stood over him. He glanced up, eyebrows scrunched up in fear. "Uh oh…"

"Uh oh, indeed," growled one soldier. "Grab him!"

In seconds, Sokka found himself flanked by either soldier. Any attempt at breaking free was in vain, and he found himself being dragged away. As he did, he looked over to the ice block Katara hid behind. "Get out of here," Sokka whispered, even if Katara couldn't hear him.

* * *

"Sokka…"

The worried sound came out a muffle. Back pressed against the wall, Katara worryingly watched her brother being taken away by the group of Fire Nation soldiers. One of the few that lingered behind seemed to have listened carefully and said to his fellow, "Did you hear something?"

"Hey, there's something this way!" said a second soldier, his and another's shadows peeking over the corner.

Katara covered her mouth with both hands to not squeal and give away her position. She was gripped by fear. That same fear kept her from revealing herself and forced her down the ledge for the canoe, _away _from Sokka. Fortunately, the shadows stopped at a whistle blow. "Come on. We're going to be left behind!" said one soldier.

The shadows disappeared, and Katara slumped on the wall she hid behind, uncovering her mouth. Memories of Fire Nation ships storming her village as an infant surged from the back of her mind. Before, there had been stories of people being taken from their homes.

Now, she watched a small ship sail away with Sokka.

Immediately, Katara ran, as if to run after the ship. The edge of the icy walkway stopped her in place. She was forced to watch the ship grow distant across the water, leaving only the black smoke behind. She was so busy, she didn't notice the cold chill blow through her hair or the white hand on her arm.

Katara almost jumped and whirled around. "Kopaka?!" she said to the towering figure.

It was indeed Kopaka. He stood tall, white sword and ice-covered shield in one hand. Katara was surprised at his sudden appearance. There were so many questions she wanted to ask. Among them, and most upfront question-which Katara also asked herself-was: '_Why didn't you stop them?!_'

Kopaka's left blue eye narrowed down at her. "Said _stay_," he stressed. "Back. Go."

Katara didn't bother to argue. "... He's gone. They took Sokka!" she instead told Kopaka and pointed to the direction of the departing ship.

Like before the scopes on Kopaka's mask gazed at the black ship. The studiousness struck Katara as cold. She guess it shouldn't have been a surprise, considering Kopaka, but something in her felt wrong. For all her potential, she could do only stand and watch. _Powerless_ to do anything.

No! A part of her mind screamed to do something. She _had _to do something.

Katara looked up to Kopaka. "I have to rescue him. I have to get my brother out of there! _Please_, I can't do it alone!" she said.

His neck squeaking audibly, Kopaka silently stared at her. Katara stared back, her teary eyes pleading for his help and hoping he could understand her at least a little. There was no way she could find and rescue her brother, not for a Waterbending novice like herself.

"We go," Kopaka said at last, pointing his sword. "That way."

Katara wiped her tears, happy though a little confused. "But the ship is the other way."

At that, Kopaka swerved his sword to the canoe. "Slow," he explained, then his sword went back in the previous direction. "There. Big. Can move."

Given little other choice, Katara followed Kopaka away from her canoe. She did spare a glance to the glowing speck on the nightly horizon. "We're coming after you, Sokka," she promised to her big brother before continuing after Kopaka.

* * *

In the hull of the Fire Nation ship, Sokka's voice echoed in the corridor. "Hey, where are we going? I can't see a thing!"

"Quiet!" said the soldier in front, who stopped to pull out a key.

Sokka barely saw a door opening in the red dim lighting. The soldier behind scowled, "In here, _peasant_."

"Gyah-oof!" Sokka yelped then grunted as he fell. His face hit a cool floor-not as cool as the ice, but still cool. He sat up to find the two soldiers now closing the door. "Hey, wait-!"

A _bang _and a _click _interrupted Sokka, now left to stare at a shut and locked metal door. Sokka groaned into his hands. "My life is just getting worser and worser by the minute…"

"Tell me about it," said a new voice, catching Sokka's attention.

On the wall opposite of the door was a boy. A bald boy of ten or twelve, clad in orange and yellow clothes with a blue arrow on his head, his hands bound behind his back by rope. "Hi," the boy greeted, his toothy grin and blue eyes shining in the dark. "I'm Aang. What's your name?"

"Uh, Sokka," the Water Tribe teen returned awkwardly.

"Soooo, Sokka," said Aang, rolling his head on his tiny body, "do you know where we are?"

Sokka frowned a little and took a look around. "Fire Nation ship. I'm guessing they're hauling us wherever."

"But why?"

Sarcasm leaped through Sokka's lips. "Oh I don't know? Maybe it's because we're their _prisoners_?"

"Prisoners?" said the oblivious boy.

"Yeah. Prisoners of war. You know, the kind that gets hauled to some prison where we're held for the rest of time while the Fire Nation wages war against the whole world?" Sokka stopped his rant to find a blank expression. "You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?"

"Uh, maybe…" Aang gave an uncertain shrug and sheepish smile at Sokka's incredulity. "I mean, last time I checked, the Fire Nation was pretty nice. I even traveled there with a couple Air Nomads and-"

"Air Nomads?" Sokka barked a laugh. "Where have you been, kid? Were you living under a rock?"

"Actually, I think I was frozen in a block of ice."

Aang's matter-of-factly tone stopped Sokka's laugh. "What?" he said, now astonished.

"Well, that's what I've been hearing from everyone around. There's even a… a…" Aang stopped as his nose scrunched up. "... a… A-CHOOOOOOOOO!"

Out of Aang's nose came a powerful gust of wind. Sokka was blown off his feet, and his back _clanged _on the door. Other than his groan as he slumped to the floor, Aang's concern entered his ear. "Hey, you alright?!"

Sitting up, Sokka placed a hand on his head. It was pounding, but that faded in seconds. "Oooh… I'm fine…" he responded with a shiver. "... How did you even do that? Brr, why is it so cold in here?"

There was a shout from outside. "What is going on in there?!"

"He needs help!" Aang answered.

The door jostled opened. The uninjured Sokka, the one whom Aang called help for, was pushed aside to the wall. Out of Sokka's eyes were a pair of red feet, and the door closed for him to see a tattered cloak wrapped around the newcomer. "What do you need?" he said to Sokka, his gruff voice accompanying two orange eyes.

"It's cold…" Sokka managed to say, staring at this new guy's eyes. They seemed… familiar.

The figure knelt on one knee. One hand held out, and a tiny flame erupted from the palm. "Here," offered the stranger.

Sokka gaped. The flame unveiled a mask with three slashes in each cheek and a metallic look, like the hand holding up the flame. Aside from the red color, he was like…

… like Kopaka.


	4. Chapter 3: Escape on Shaky Waters

**AN: ****Replies to guest reviews:**

**Atom king - Thanks for the review. As for your questions, all I can say is I would like to keep away from any pairings as much as I can (I've already seen enough nonsense in the Avatar fandom because of them).**

**Aztec 13 - I'm glad you're liking the story and the differences it takes from the actual _Avatar_ cartoon. While I have made notes, I can't say anything concrete yet to confirm any of your questions. Like I've said, it really depends on whether or not these chapters are well-received (and a bunch of other things too, like time).  
**

**With that, here ******is chapter 3 of _Bending the Legend_, the last of these "pilot chapters." Enjoy!****

* * *

For a long time, Kopaka had known nothing but sleep. His dreams were dark ones, filled with shrouded beings and lands under skies of blue, green, and yellow. After so long, those dreams were over, and the scattered elements of his being were rejoined. At last, he was awake. At last, he was _whole_…

… and very confused.

First, it had been the pale landscape, so different from what he saw in his dreams. Just as different were the inhabitants, who were simple and peaceful. They held no answers to who or what Kopaka was. After that, there had been the dark boat and beam of light. Originally intending to check on the light _alone_, Kopaka instead learned the two from before had followed him. Now, he found himself riding on his shield again on a mission to rescue the male, 'Sohka.'

Another burst of ice, channeled through the white sword, propelled the two forward. "Gah!" yelped the female, 'Kataara,' while holding onto Kopaka.

Ignoring the strange warmth against his side, Kopaka focused forward. His mask let him see pathways not seen before-patterns of heat-even through the rock-or ice, to be precise. With it, his vision zoomed on the hulking mass in the water. He had barely spotted it before, and now it seemed to clear, with dark trails leading the way. Something like that would help with the rescue… if it would cooperate.

Kopaka slowed to a stop on the edge of a nearby glacier and was glad of 'Kataara' letting go to step on the ice. Her mask, if it could be called that, morphed into a clear expression of surprise upon seeing the beast. "What?" she uttered, one word Kopaka understood.

The beast's massive horned head sent water around, and it growled. If it spoke any words, Kopaka didn't understand as he stepped on the ice. He caught on the meaning, though. This creature warned him and 'Kataara' to stay back. It wouldn't would, though-

Again, the beast growled, showing off its massive teeth. Kopaka stepped in front of 'Kataara' with his sword and shield held in a defensive posture. She remained there briefly before she stepped forward with a curious glance. "I think… it's injured," came from 'Kataara.'

Kopaka would have questioned her if he hadn't seen it. Burnt marks on the white fur, black as the smoke rising from them. Now, Kopaka realized the creature _could not_ hurt them. It had been hurt by fire.

_Fire_. Was it done by some weapon? Or could someone else wield the element like how he wielded ice? That was a concerning thought.

The concern 'Kataara' had was different. She stepped forward, her squishy hands held in front as more strange words left her mouth soothingly. "It's okay, It's okay…"

The growl lowered slightly when 'Kataaara' approached. "Hold on,' she paused before touching the beast then waved her hands back and forth at the water, her expression strained with concentration. "I think… I can make this work…"

The beast's moan was drowned by the the cold wave falling on it. Both of Kopaka's eyes blinked behind his mask, and 'Kataara' shot a sheepish look along with, "Oh, sorry!"

Kopaka relaxed his posture. The creature wouldn't attack, he now knew as its burnt marks were doused. 'Kataara' rested a gentle hand on giant snout, a bit unsure and immensely understanding. "You were hurt by those Fire Nation soldiers, weren't you?" she said, and the beast moaned in response, as if it understood the words.

Kopaka didn't, but he stepped in the conversation. "Fire Nation. That," left his mask as he pointed his sword at the black smoke in the distance.

The beast growled in the direction of the smoke. It knew what Kopaka meant. It understood 'Kataara' better as she continued, "My brother is captured. Can you help us?"

The glacier shifted, and the grateful beast turned, exposing its wide saddle to the two. "Well, come on!" 'Kataara' said, hopping onto the beast's head.

Kopaka, following behind, he leaped onto the saddle. As the beast swim, he almost smiled. As much as it was his plan, Kopaka was ready to protect himself to convince this creature. Instead of his might, it took kindness from 'Kataara' to have it join them in their rescue. _'It may work after all_.'

The thought warmed a part of Kopaka's cold exterior as he and 'Kataara' departed on the back of the hairy beast.

* * *

Aang's teeth chattered as he tried to keep himself warm. It felt like hours went by, and he was wishing that strange Firebender would come back, especially with the prison's climate. Even though it was a Fire Nation ship, the wall, his bindings, and even the air were unforgivingly _cold_. "H-hey! Anyone there!" he called out to the door. "It's f-f-freezing!"

"I don't think they're going to listen…"

Aang shot a glance to Sokka, who had been quiet for the past couple of minutes. Shivering yet again, Aang replied, "I had to try."

Sokka shrugged from his own corner. "Not a bad attempt. Useless, but not bad."

It had been a little subdued compared to the first impression Aang had been given. He could barely see anything in his cell's lighting, let alone the face of a some Firebender in a hood. As Aang was deep in his thoughts, the other boy's voice cut through them.

"I've been wondering…" Aang turned to Sokka, who now eyed him curiously, "... how did you even do that? With the wind?"

"You've never heard of Airbending?" Seeing Sokka's blank stare, Aang lowered his raised eyebrows. "Uh, I'll take that as no. Well, it's basically how I control air currents."

"So, you're the only one who can do it?"

"Well, there's a whole bunch of Air Nomads." Aang's eyebrows perked up. "Oh, and there's Appa!"

"Appa?"

"My flying bison."

Sokka's face frowned. "Uh-huh… and where is this 'flying bison?'" he asked, making air quotes with his free hands.

"Well, not with me. He's around… I think." Aang shot a glance to the door the back to Sokka. "You were just outside, right? You should have seen him. Big? Furry? Has a pair of horns and an arrow on his head?"

Sokka rose an eyebrow. "I think I would remember something like that…"

"Don't worry. He'll be here soon. Once he gets here, it's just one call of 'yip-yip' and he'll be soaring! Trust me!" Aang flashed a grin to sell his story.

If Sokka believed it, he didn't show it as he turned to the door. "Let's hope so. We need to get out of here soon or we're stuck for good.."

While he didn't understand it all, Aang had to agree with that. "Well, if you get rid of these binding, I can do it," he offer, earning a disbelieving look from Sokka.

"Oh really? You can beat all the guards and get us out of here?" Glancing to the door, Sokka scooted over to Aang, his sarcasm cracking. "How?"

"Airbending. I can jump real high with it and I even fly us out of here if I had my glider."

As Aang made a mental note to ask where that was, Sokka threw up his hands in that over-the-top manner. "You know what, sure," he said to no one in particular. "I've seen enough weird stuff in one day I'd believe anything! Even in the Avatar! What's the big deal in adding a flying kid to the list?"

"Heh, heh… yeah…" Aang chuckled nervously, his eyes shifting in the dark as he _really_ hoped Sokka couldn't see them.

The cell-no, the ship!-suddenly shook. Aang bumped his noggin against Sokka's. "Oof! Sorry!" the Airbender apologized and wished his hands were freed to rub his aching forehead. "What was that?"

"I think we've stopped," Sokka replied, massaging his own head. "What could have-"

A deep bellow answered him and shook the cell. Sokka's eyes stared all around him, except at Aang, as he asked, "What. Was. _That_?!"

Aang, recognizing the roar, smiled. "Appa!"

* * *

Zuko barged into his ship's bridge with a glare in his good eye. "Helmsman, what is going on?!" he demanded. "Why did the ship just shake?"

Unsure himself, the man in red turned away from the control wheel. "I don't know, Prince Zuko," he replied. "I think we must have hit an glacier."

The scowling Zuko went to the window, staring only at the bright blue and white outside from the inside of his black and red bridge. "There's something out there…" he murmured to himself. "Where…?"

Then, Zuko heard a familiar bellow, and he went on alert.

"Sound the alarm! Everyone, ready for combat!" Zuko shouted and rushed onto the open platform just outside.

After the cold air brushed against his face, Zuko saw it the minute he reached the platform's railing. The white monster from before swam up the ship's port side, its horns ramming at the hull. Groaning metal drowned the prince's sounds of surprise while he regained his footing, but the shaken ship didn't obscure his sight from catching two figures. Friends of his latest prisoner, who leaped off the monster onto the ship's lower deck.

"Stop them!" Zuko shouted to the soldiers below.

As soon as he shouted his order, the white figure aimed his sword. A burst of white ice encased the three soldiers in seconds, to Zuko's surprise. A Waterbender?

Whatever this figure was, he pointed his sword at _Zuko_. Another white burst came and engulfed the prince's body before he could do anything. He didn't even have time to scream as the burst froze over his mouth, just barely touching the upper lip. Hands, feet, and the rest of his body barely twitched in an icy outgrowth that trapped him to the railing.

The growling prince stopped, his eyes catching the two intruders sneak below deck. Zuko's muffled voice roared against the ice gagging him. Anger boiled and wisped out of his nostrils. He focused on it, trying to keep a steady rhythm of inhalations and exhalations.

"_Power in firebending comes from the breath. Not the muscles_," his uncle once said._ "The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes fire_."

And using soft and steady breaths, Zuko extended his heat throughout his body and onto the ice. He hoped to melt it in time before the two fools got near his prize.

* * *

"Hal-GYAH!" yelled a Fire Nation guard, who was cut off by a great surge of ice.

Katara followed Kopaka past the guard frozen to the wall. "Do you know where Sokka is?" she called.

Kopaka said nothing. He crouched and ran through the dim halls, his mask seeing his surroundings better-maybe even through them. His sword rose in front of his shield, freezing another unsuspecting guard who popped out of a passing door. By the time the ice covered him, a ringing bell drowned his scream.

Katara went on alert by the time she and Kopaka reached the door at the end of the hall. "Hurry!" the former exclaimed, her eyes darting around for anymore guards while the latter went to freezing at the door.

A loud _WHAM_ whirled Katara to the swinging door, Kopaka's blocky footprint embedded into the now shattered lock. As the door opened inward, out stepped a Water Tribe teen who looked confused and surprised as Katara happily and tightly hugged him. "Sokka!" she cried out.

"Katara, a little too tight!" Sokka wheezed before he parted from his sister. "What are you doing here? How did you even find-"

"Long story. We have to get you out and…" Katara trailed off when she noticed the bald boy standing behind her brother. "... Um, hello."

"Hi," the boy returned with a cheerful smile, despite his hands were tied to his back.

Sokka cut in and answered Katara's unspoken question. "Katara, Aang. Aang, Katara…" He paused to note the white swordsman. "Oh and Kopaka."

Aang craned his head up. "Uh, hey?" he said, not sure what to make of Kopaka.

Equally confused, but of the boy, Katara turned to Sokka. "What was he doing-"

"Long story. You have a way out?" Sokka said.

At that, Kopaka ran back the way they came. "Come on!" Katara yelled and ran behind.

"Wait," Aang called, "I got to get-"

"Later!" Sokka grabbed Aang's shoulder, earning a "_Waaaaait!_" from the younger boy as he was dragged behind his rescuers.

The run quickly led the four out onto the ship's deck, where the cold air greeted them with a number of guards frozen in blocks of ice. Aang almost gasped. "What happened?"

Sokka turned to Katara. "You didn't do this, did you?"

Guilt flashed across her face. "Uh, no… he did," Katara pointed at Kopaka, now behind Aang and cutting his bonds loose.

A freed Aang's astonishment brightened when he looked past the icy warrior. "Appa!" he cried and left a cloud of dust while running at the familiar horned, furry, bison sailing by the ship.

Katara blinked curiously after him. "He's a bit…"

"Try be in the same room as him," Sokka dryly commented to her and a cold Kopaka. "Come on, let's get going before-"

A loud _fwoosh _of fire cut in front of Aang and through Sokka's speech. "Woah!" cried Aang when he backed the flames and stood near the rim of the ship.

Sokka whirled to where the flames came from. "Oh no," he whispered with dread.

Next to him, a curious Katara and Kopaka turned their heads to a cloaked figure exiting the ship's tower. With a burning sword in hand, the figure's slanted eyes burned a fiery yellow under his hood. "You're not going anywhere," he said surely and swung again.

Kopaka placed himself in front of Katara and Sokka, his shield raised against a bolt of fiery energy. When the attack collided, Kopaka grunted against it and skidded back into the two siblings. "Hey!" Katara yelled as she and Sokka unknowingly fell under a rogue wisp of flame.

Kopaka lowered his smoking shield and eyed his enemy. The figure in front stared back at Kopaka, as if finally noticing him, and said, "You… You're like…"

A strong gust of wind hit the figure. His back clanging against the ship's tower drowned his cry of "_Ugh!_" His hooded head angrily whirled to his left, where the boy stood on the ship's rim. "It's me you want, right? Well, here I am!" Aang called, waving his hands out wide.

Kopaka attacked the distracted enemy with a frozen beam from his sword. The figure rolled away from the burst now freezing the door, and he came back up with another fiery bolt at Kopaka, then a stronger one at Aang. Both dodged, the latter already leaping over the attack.

No, not leaped. He _soared_ into the air, over the attack, twisting his body until he gracefully descended in front of the fallen Katara and Sokka. "Hey, are you two alright?" he asked, then he blinked at the gaping faces. "What?"

"How did you do that?" Katara gasped. "Are you an Airbender?"

Aang smiled. "Yep!"

"But I thought they were extinct-"

Another icy attack and Kopaka's grunting stopped any questions. Sokka, scrambling to his feet, screeched. "Later! We got to-YEOW!" Sokka stopped and ducked under another rogue flame, hands clasped on his head.

"Go!" Kopaka shouted off to the side, stealing Sokka's thunder.

"No arguing from me!" Katara agreed and followed Aang towards the bison, Sokka scrambling behind.

Aang leaped off the edge of ship, then Katara. Sokka stopped, staring down at the giant bison named Appa, the same bison his sister landed on. "Sokka, come on!"

Sokka hesitantly glanced to the two combatants, then back at the bison. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered before he leaped, screaming all the way down until his hind landed on the saddle.

At the front, Aang grabbed and whipped the reigns. "Appa, yip-yip!"

A roar and a rumble shook the waters, as a giant tail left tiny waves in its wake. The ship shuddered to one side, and Kopaka and the cloaked swordsman stopped to regain their foot. Then, the two were amazed to see the bison now known as Appa fly straight up into the air.

Staring at the water five feet below, an astonished Katara cried across from a gaping Sokka, "I-I can't believe it! We're actually flying!"

"Yeah, he does! You didn't know that?" Aang smiled over to Katara, who shook her head.

Sokka had no time to comment himself. "Uh guys," his eyes widened, "_incoming_!"

All heads saw the ship's tower. There, at the top, a teenager in dark armor leaped from a melted block of ice. He screamed like a wild animal, his arms flailing in front until they grabbed Appa's saddle. The bison tilted to one side, roaring over the children's surprised screams.

Said children backed away, watching the teenager rear his ponytail over the saddle's edge. Scarred left side facing the trio, the teenager growled. "You're not getting away, Avatar!"

"Avatar?" echoed a surprised Katara.

Sokka's widened eyes whirled to the bald kid. "_You_?"

"Uh, who _me_?" Aang sheepishly said with an unconvincing shrug and smile.

His expression went away as everyone moved, barely avoiding a flaming ball from the newest passenger on Appa.

* * *

Below, on the deck of the shaking ship, Kopaka's ice burst melted before his eyes. In spite of it, Kopaka noted his enemy hadn't gone on the offense yet, something he would use to his advantage. Feigning left, he fired, and his blast froze over the ends of the stranger's cloak.

"Stop! What do you think you're doing?!" the stranger growled, almost annoyed.

Kopaka, barely understanding a word, went right and fired again. This time, his ice blast struck not the figure, but an orb of red energy suddenly surrounding him. The energy shield vanished, the ice with it, and the irritated stranger tore off his partially frozen cloak. "_I said stop!_" he shouted in a strange tongue.

It wasn't strange to Kopaka, who stopped and stared. It was like looking into a mirror, yet not. The metallic body was an exact copy of his own, save for the bright, burning red color instead of white. Fiery eyes stared through the helmetlike mask as the figure moved his metal mouth and spoke in Kopaka's language again. "_Finally. You can understand me._"

"_It doesn't change anything_," Kopaka met his enemy with a chilled tone.

The fiery figure, true to his element, huffed. "_Listen_," he said, "_we don't have to fight. There are more important things to worry about. Stand down, and-_"

Kopaka, unconvinced, held his sword up and fired another icy blast.

The red energy shield blinked around the figure, blocking Kopaka's assault. "_I'm telling you to stand down_," he said again, dispelling his shield. "_You don't want to face my fire._"

"_And I'm telling you to let us go,_" Kopaka retorted.

"_I can't do that._"

Can't? An interesting word choice. "_So, you listen your own master?_" Kopaka said, the coldness hiding the taunting tone.

He almost smiled seeing his enemy's temper blaze with his sword. "_I am my own master. I am Tahu! The master of fire!_"

Heat tickled Kopaka's back while he rolled away from a fiery torrent. Coming back up, he sprinted across the deck and fired more ice. The figure calling himself Tahu swung his hot sword, easily shattering the attack, and brought it around to attack, giving Kopaka an opening to ram his shoulder into Tahu. Feet scratching on the deck, Tahu rebounded with a wild slash.

After the sword struck his white shield, Kopaka retaliated with a stab all the while channeling his power. The freezing blade skidded off Tahu's, white mist spreading out from the pale edge. Then, the white mist coalesced into a white beam. Kopaka turned his blade, intending to swing the beam into Tahu.

Tahu stubbornly refused to break away, and the beam remained still. Upon his command, his sword glowed. Then, was lit aflame!

Kopaka, taken aback, struggled against the column of fire. He heaved up both blades, sending both elemental beams into the air. Tahu, pressing back, unleashed more flame into his blast, and it slowly melted Kopaka's own icy beam away, piece by piece.

A beastly roar and youngish screams almost drew Kopaka's mask upward. He didn't have to move to see the flying beast, which should have been gone by now, circle around. The beast was distracted by the stowaway firing at 'Kataara' and the others, and it veered closely to the crossed elemental streams.

Kopaka slammed his shield into the other fighter. "Hrgh!" Tahu grunted against the blow, as the power in his sword, and Kopaka's, died down.

The motion split apart the two powerful columns of fire and ice. Kopaka, not stopping, lunged to get in close, swiping at the left shoulder, then chest, then right arm. Tahu blocked them all with wild swings, too busy to summon his energy shield.

That was what Kopaka wanted. He kept up with assault, briefly pulling back for a stab. Once, twice, thrice, Tahu barely dodged around the attacks. His movements were restricted, moving his feet only a tiny bit to the side before Kopaka's blade blocked his way out. Planting his legs, Tahu caught the slash with his sword and shield in his free hand.

"_Don't think you've won!_" Tahu growled, and Kopaka expected this hot-headed warrior to lose right then and there.

What Kopaka didn't expect for Tahu's mask to shimmer with power and morph. The new mask staring at him was different, retaining only is red color. Kopaka barely saw Tahu's eyes blaze through an u-shaped visor before it, and Tahu himself, flew. Kopaka's cold gaze followed Tahu, watching him use his new mask to glide safely on the cold winds. Kopaka's telescopes extended to take in the new mask's streamlined shape in place of the old helmetlike mask. That new mask would have to knocked off if he was to win.

Especially as Tahu flew to the tower and leaped towards the flying beast, towards Kopaka's associates.

Shield on his back and sword tip at the deck, Kopaka launched himself on a powerful icy beam. When it died, he threw himself into the flying Tahu. He grabbed Tahu's arm, pulling him down slightly. "No!" Tahu roared as he tried to hold himself and Kopaka up.

Kopaka ignored any screams, from either Tahu or his surprised companions flying behind him. He went for the mask, sword in his free hand to strike it off his enemy's face. His enemy objected, though. "Get. **Off**!" Tahu shouted.

Then, the body of the so-called 'master of fire' _burned_.

The sudden eruption of fire threw Kopaka off Tahu. His trajectory arced onto the rim of the ship's spiked bow with a loud _RING_ as he bounced off it. Kopaka could do nothing but _splash_ into the softer yet bitter waters, unable to hear the cry from above.

* * *

"NO!" Katara shouted seeing Kopaka sink into the water.

A fireball from the stowaway gave Katara no time to worry. She fell back in time to avoid it and watch the Firebender haul himself halfway onto the saddle. "Avatar!" the Firebender shouted over the winds, his hands burning. "You are coming with me!"

The boy standing on Appa's head danced aside another fireball that first passed by Sokka, who collapsed on the saddle. "Woah!" Katara heard her brother yell, lucky enough to not be burnt.

Wind whipping her hair loopies over her face, Katara rushed at the Firebender with all her might. She grabbed the burning boy's wrists but quickly regretted it when he was overpowering her, shouting, "Get off me, peasant!"

Sokka, seeing the scuffle, was quick to his feet. "Hey! Get away from my sister!" he shouted and lunged himself at the Firebender.

However, said Firebender pushed Katara into him, and the two siblings were thrown to the side. They would have been knocked off the saddle, if Appa hadn't swerved to the other side. "Wo-Woaaaah!" called Aang, barely able to balance on foot on Appa and open for the Firebender to instead rush at him.

The minute Katara got her bearings, it was when she caught a glimpse of the Firebending holding onto Aang and falling off Appa. "No!" Katara yelled and lunged to grab Aang's hand.

Aang was sadly out of her reach. He fell, the Firebender with him, until the red blur that knocked Kopaka caught them both. The blur glided through the air, carrying the additional weight of two benders onto the Fire Nation ship before landing himself. The flying metal man turned and glared up at a shocked Katara who saw a red mask reminiscent of Kopaka's.

Sokka got to her side and called, "Katara, we gotta go!"

"But what about Kopaka?" she asked him.

"No time! We can't stay here any longer!" Sokka said and was proven true when a fireball flew from the ship.

Keeping her head low, Katara eyed the ship full of now-unfrozen Firebenders shooting at them. With a look of determination, Katara rose on her legs, much to Sokka's surprise. "What are you doing?!"

The answer Sokka received was Katara moving her hands back and forth. The tide around the ship fell under her sway, and the waves grew stronger with each movement. "Push and pull," Katara reminded herself, as waves splashed against the ship's hull.

Her efforts paid off. The waters, pushing in her direction, sent a metallic white figure floating towards her direction and away from the Fire Nation ship. A second later, Sokka shouted, "I see him!"

"Grab the reins!" Katara called back.

Sokka, crawling his way onto Appa's head, did. "Let's hope this works," he said to himself and whipped the reins. "Yip-yip!"

A moaning Appa flew downward, floating slightly above the waters. Katara kept up her Waterbending technique to drag Kopaka after them while they all flew further away and in the opposite direction of the Fire Nation ship. Not long afterwards, when there had been the cold air and no fire shooting at them, Sokka had said, "I think they stopped."

Appa agreed with Sokka by settling in the water. Katara stopped Waterbending and went for Kopaka floating up the giant bison. She grabbed at his free arm, gritting her teeth at her failed attempts to pull up Kopaka. Sokka came over to grab the other arm, careful to not cut himself on the blade Kopaka stubbornly held onto. Together, brother and sister brought him resting on Appa, safe and sound.

Only Kopaka, though. No Aang.

No _Avatar_.

As much as Katara sighed in relief, her eyes drifted to the dark ship sailing into the night. She couldn't look away nor stop the dread from dropping into her stomach. Beside her was a concerned Sokka. "Katara…?"

She looked at Sokka. "We have to go back. We have rescue him."

"Katara, listen-" Sokka objected, but Katara cut him off.

"Sokka, they have the Avatar! He's the only chance the world has! It's the only chance dad can-!"

"_Katara_!" Sokka shouted. "Do you know what just happened? We _lost_! We go after that ship now, the same thing will happen, if not worse! We can't go!"

Katara had no retort. Sokka was right. With all those soldiers and Firebenders, including that strange one, they wouldn't stand a chance. There had to be something, anything-

"-At least, not now," Sokka added, and Katara eyed him surprised. "Personally, I don't think that kid's really the Avatar, but the Fire Nation thinks so. Who knows what will happen if they bring him back to the Fire Nation."

Katara smiled. "Sokka-"

"Buuut!" Sokka held up a hand. "If we're going to do this, then we do it _right_."

Kopaka rose into the conversation, almost fully lucid. "Easy!" Katara said, helping him to sit up.

"Ship," Kopaka said coldly.

"Gone," she explained to him then to Sokka, "I guess we'll have to wait until he's ready. Not to mention there was that red guy-"

"All the more reason we bring him along," Sokka reasoned, placing a hand on Kopaka's shoulder. "We follow that ship and get him out when they least expect it. With your Waterbending, and Kopaka's magic ice, they won't know what hit them!"

"Hrm," came from Kopaka, his telescopic mask glaring at the hand on shoulder.

Sokka immediately drew it away. "Sorry."

Smiling, Katara looked to the horizon lit with faintest glow of twilight. Sokka and Kopaka joined her, staring at the black trail left in the dimly lit sky. Even Appa joined in and roared what Katara was thinking:

'_It's not over. Not by a long shot._'

* * *

_Elsewhere… _

Among a circle of small stones, white light pulsed from the heart of one. It cascaded onto the sandy ground, joining its brethren of purple, green, yellow, blue, and red. White, the last to emerge, caught the attention of the cloaked figure sitting over the circle of tiny stones.

"Hmm…" he mused, "so the last Toa has awakened…"

His glowing eyes rose to the sky. "After so long, it has finally begun," he said, his worn voice no louder than a whisper. "But now, I wonder… will they find each other? When they do, will they be united in their duty? And will they be ready to face their destiny, oh Great Spirit?"

Sadly, there was no answer to any of his questions, so the figure put them aside and collected the six stones. After securing them inside his coat, he stood to renew his journey across the desert. Something about his very being shimmered for a brief second…

… Then, he was gone. All that was left were two empty prints in the sands and six new stars shining in the night sky.

* * *

**AN: And that is the last of the "pilot chapters" for _Bending the Legend_. I do hope you like it, and I would appreciate any reviews to let me know what your thoughts are on the story. ****Again, if this story is well-received, then I will continue it after a hiatus (how long that will take, I have no idea). If not, then this story will be discontinued and/or left for adoption. I'll see if I can put up a poll on my profile page soon, if anyone would like to vote on it. Until the next notice, take care.  
**

**Raika out.**


	5. Announcement

Hello, everyone! This is just some news regarding this story. Given the positive feedback and support I have received over these several months, I am glad to say that I plan to continue _Bending the Legend_. I can't say when the next chapter will be since I'm still working on it.

If I ever do put up the next chapter, I would like to have more chapters to publish on a weekly schedule. Also, I currently want to put more focus on my Bionicle G2 sequel, called _New Legends, New Heroes_, so I would like to finish that story first. I maybe won't get back to this story until the middle of next year or so (and that's the earliest deadline I can give). That doesn't mean I won't put this story on the backburner (at least, I hope so), since I would like to search for any co-authors to help me write this story. That way, I can have more chapters ready when I start uploading again. By then, there might be enough to publish on a weekly or biweekly basis.

I'm sorry to say this, but the hiatus will continue. Until it ends, I appreciate your patience and your support. Thank you so much!

Raika out.


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